Ohio State Football: Ezekiel Elliott's Compelling Case for the Heisman Trophy

Moments after Ohio State running back Ezekiel Elliott had run through, over and around Michigan's elite defense last Saturday, head coach Urban Meyer had a message for the Heisman Trophy voters.

“[Elliott] should be in New York,” Meyer said, according to Tim Shoemaker of Eleven Warriors. “That’s one of the best players in America. He should be a Heisman guy.”

Earlier that afternoon, Elliott sliced through Michigan's solid front seven, running for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries, averaging 7.1 yards per attempt. It was an incredible performance against a defense that ranked fourth nationally against the run before it had met the Buckeyes.

But after squaring off against Elliott and Ohio State, Michigan's run defense plummeted 15 spots to No. 19.

That's the kind of impact Elliott has made for an offense that entered the season with high expectations, but largely disappointed in 2015. The Buckeyes struggled at quarterback despite boasting three Heisman Trophy candidates at the position, which led to an up-and-down output from the unit.

Elliott was the one constant, though, pacing an otherwise ordinary offense with 1,848 total yards (1,672 rushing, 176 receiving) and 19 touchdowns. Without his steady production, Ohio State's offense would have suffered greatly. 

That makes him one of the most outstanding players in the country—the criteria for winning the Heisman Trophy—but he isn't getting the attention he deserves. 

In a recent poll orchestrated by Bill Landis of the Plain Dealer, 30 Heisman Trophy voters revealed their current standings and Elliott received just three fifth-place votes from the group. In front of him were Alabama running back Derrick Henry, Clemson quarterback Deshaun Watson, Florida State running back Dalvin Cook, Oklahoma quarterback Baker Mayfield and Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey.

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

So what's holding Elliott back? 

That answer lies in Ohio State's performance the week before Elliott gashed Michigan's defense. 

When the Buckeyes hosted Michigan State for a marquee showdown in Ohio Stadium two weeks ago, the game also paired as the biggest stage of Elliott's Heisman campaign. It had the potential to be the first of three matchups against elite defenses, and if he showed up big, he could've run his way to New York City and the Heisman Trophy.

But he wasn't given that opportunity as he netted just two carries for three yards in the second half of a sluggish 17-14 upset loss to the Spartans. It ended his streak of at least 100 rushing yards in a game at 15, and it effectively knocked him out of the Heisman race. 

It shouldn't have, though, because ironically, that game proved his importance to Ohio State's success as a team. Elliott has been the engine in the Buckeyes offense all season, and for some reason, the coaching staff threw their car in neutral during the most important stretch of the season.

That's not Elliott's fault. Despite a struggling offense, he kept the Buckeyes in the national title race until the Michigan State game, and even still, they have an outside shot of making it to the final four.

There's no way Ohio State's in this position without its star running back. And because of that, Elliott should be in New York for the Heisman Trophy presentation.

David Regimbal is the Ohio State football Lead Writer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @davidreg412.